The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-11-20
IGNORANCE AT KSowLEDGEs ALTAR.
Ludicrous Blunders That Some People Make
i'm Asking for Books at the Public Library.


| aI want to know what Longfeller said about
the nineteenth century, said half-terrifed,
| half-reckless seeming youth to one of the lady
attendants in the reading-room at the Public
| Library, few days ago. just as 0 Journal re-
| porter stepped up to ask for the late religious
| periodicals.
| slightly startled attendant
81 don't know
SIS it poetry or proseT
'I don't know"
rs it in reference to any particular subject,
such as art, science religion. or any particular
field of progress2'
81 don't know
The attendant was evidently puzzled, but.
her mind to try once more for a clew. sWhat
use do you wish TO make of the quotation What
is your objects"
'.Oh I've got a friend in the High school, and
he asked me to find out for him."
Still baffied, but not wholly despairing, the
attendant came again: rs it some particular
statement that you would know when you saw
its'
mo, just want to know what he said.
"You will have to get definite informa-
ton as to what you want before help
you, said the custodian of literature, and there
upon the young man, with sigh of relief, took
the current Puck and retired to table
&lLOgeEn0r happy
one, suggested the reporter.
NO." said the attendant, 'tbut there 10 q GER
tain mournfu1 pleasure in observing the great
faith some people have in our omniscience. One
OF the most remarkable cases that of q
woman who came In some months and
asked for a book that she had used a few weeks
before She did not rememb Der the name,
author nr subject, but she said 1t was q small
blue book shout inch thick and wanted US
to search for it. There are at least
a Thousand books in the library that her descrip-
of ma Of In
kind. however comes from the school children
One gets the name OF some interesting book from
another. and after the title has passed verbally
two or three times you can never guess what it
will be transformed to. A boy handed .
card few days ago asking for 'Georaeical
Bounds was unable to guess at what
he meant. and when inquired of him found
he knew nothing about it except that another
boy had told him that 'Georagical Bounds was
q good book"
81 presume you can guess what some of them
mean"
"Oh. yes. there are a great many cases where
the spelling is misleading, but the sound of the
word gives definite idea OF what is wanted.
Here. for example"-tsking bunch of request
cards from case-'are some forms of spelling
great deal, and it is rather q rarity for of
them to strike the correct spelling. request
for the English Saclopedia' is plain enough;
one for the .Sicrepedand OF Cornon Things is not
difficult to guess; but Tnscripendence' made
think for q few minutes, and 'Sycrphers' called
for an examination of the little girl who wanted
S6ek-
ing. Usually they write the off with
dash but occasionally one makes a labored et-
fort to get his photography correct. Here is q
request for tae tStatutts of Indiana but Won
will see on looking closely that the writer had
originally written it 'Statuees.' and them proba-
bly, remembering the distinction between
statute and statue. had made desperate at
tempt to put himself right"
Some of them have q great time with the
magazines" continued the attendant. "a boy
who wanted the Century, a few days ago. put in
n last Taak
girl who was after the Chatter-b box handed up
this slip for the .Rattle-box.' Punch is quite a
ask for Punch and Judy Oae OF them put in
this request for Butch, last month, but, on
learning that it was funny paper he
after the name was not difficult to translate
Puck is sad STUN bin -block, as you will OBJ
serve" and she handed tho reporter a number OF
cards with requests for pug" Puck on a
stick" referring to the flel, 'Pluck," ''Bug."
Little Puck" and 'Puke."
"Do grown people make blund ers of this sort.
alsol'
Sometimes, but not so often as the children,
OF course. There was highly rsspectabe-look-
ing gentleman in here a few days ago who made
request for Packs works I think one OF
the most remarkable cases of intellectual dark
that ever came 30 light was seen down
stairs few weeks ago. Two very nicely dressed
and Notwithstanding gentlemen came into the
library Office, and one Of them came to the desk
and asked in his most polite style, Beg pardon.
but can you tell me who is the author of Long
fellowf The attendants first thought was that
serious. she answered, sLongfellow was prom
inent author himself sAh! that was it, was it,
I'm very much obliged to you. I'm sure.' said
the inquirer. who rejoined his companion. and,
after whispered conference. they went away.
apparently much delighted with the discovery
thew had made"
He must have been an artless child Of nat
uren
VERY much go, and it is the utter innocence
OF such psople that makes them amusing. OF
course, we cannot laugh IN their faces but it is
an awful struggle sometimes to avoid it. We
went through trial one day last month that
will never be forgotteu. One of the funniest
little German met / ever saw came in and wrote
this card in what Is apparently . German at
tempt at English: Eli will dass buch Left of
Nabolian.' / gave him life of Napoleon. and
after he had finished consulting it he insisted
paying for the attention he had received. It
was with great difficulty be could be persuaded
that COMPENSATION could be received, and
then he overwhelmed with expressions of
gratitude He was meek. and so polite, and
wonderfully innocent that were much re-
lieyed when he went out and we found opportu-
nifty for good laugh"